Research Articles
Permanent URI for this communityhttp://197.255.125.131:4000/handle/123456789/22010
A research article reports the results of original research, assesses its contribution to the body of knowledge in a given area, and is published in a peer-reviewed scholarly journal. The faculty publications through published and on-going articles/researches are captured in this community
Browse
2 results
Search Results
Item The Africa Food Environment Research Network (FERN): from concept to practice(Global Health Promotion, 2022) Tandoh, A.; Aryeetey, R.; Agyemang, C.; et al.Background: Africa is contending with unhealthy food environments that are, in part, driving increasing rates of overweight, obesity, and diet-related non-communicable diseases, alongside persistent undernutrition. This current paradigm requires expanded efforts – both in the volume and nature of empirical research, as well as the tools and capacity of those who conduct it. High-quality and context-relevant research supports the development and implementation of policies that create healthy food environments. Aim and approach: This paper sets out the concept of the Africa Food Environment Research Network (FERN) initiative recently established by the Measurement, Evaluation, Accountability, and Leadership Support for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) (MEALS4NCDs) prevention project. Central to the Africa FERN initiatives are: 1) building research capacity for innovative food environment research in Africa; 2) improving South-South, and South-North partnerships to stimulate a robust food environment research and monitoring in Africa and 3) sustaining dialogue and focusing priorities on current and future needs for enhanced food environment research and monitoring in Africa. Conclusion: The FERN initiative presents an opportune platform for researchers in Africa and the global North to weave the threads of experience and expertise for research capacity building, collaboration and advocacy, to advance food environment research.Item Conference on ‘Nutrition dynamics in Africa opportunities and challenges for meeting the sustainable development goals’(Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 2017) Aryeetey, R.; Colecraft, E.; Holdsworth, M.; et al.Although a substantial amount of nutrition research is conducted in Africa, the research agenda is mainly donor-driven. There is a clear need for a revised research agenda in Africa which is both driven by and responding to local priorities. The present paper summarises the proceedings of a symposium on how evidence can guide decision-makers towards context-appropriate priorities and decisions in nutrition. The paper focuses on lessons learned from case studies by the Evidence Informed Decision Making in Nutrition and Health Network implemented between 2015 and 2016 in Benin, Ghana, and South Africa. Activities within these countries were organised around problem-oriented evidence-informed decision-making (EIDM), capacity strengthening and leadership, and horizontal collaboration. Using a combination of desk-reviews, stakeholder influence-mapping, semi-structured interviews and convening platforms, these country-level studies demonstrated a strong interest in partnership between researchers and decision-makers, and the use of research evidence for prioritization and decision-making in nutrition. Identified capacity gaps were addressed through training workshops on EIDM, systematic reviews, cost-benefit evaluations, and evidence contextualization. Investing in knowledge partnerships and the development of capacity and leadership are key to driving the appropriate use of evidence in nutrition policy and programming in Africa.